ECCLESIASTES 6.9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
The phrase “wandering of the desire” literally means “the walking of the person.” What Solomon is telling us from experience is this: it is better to enjoy the life that you have then to be forever daydreaming about another one. Once again, he advises contentment in whatever our state we find ourselves in. That does not mean that we should not seek to improve any condition or area in our life that is damaged or in need. I think what he is telling us is this: you may look at that person’s life or that person’s vocation or that person’s ministry or that local church and think that if you could trade places with them, your life would be complete. Beloved, if we are always seeking “something” or “someone” to fulfill us other than Christ, we will never be content or really learn to enjoy what He has given us today.
We have all heard about the myth of greener pastures. Another person’s life, or vocation or ministry always seems to be perfect. Until you sit down and talk to the person and find out that they, just like every other human being, wrestle with the very same struggles of “what if?” A person who is forever dreaming about the kind of life they would like to live is not living the life God has given them. A person whose heart and mind are forever filled with wandering desires is constantly talking themselves into the pit of depression and discontentment.
I love ECCLESIASTES. It is one of those books that reminds me of the simple fact that any pursuit of satisfaction or fulfillment in anything under the sun is vanity and vexation of soul. The only One that can satisfy this emptiness deep within me is Jesus Christ. A new home, or a new vocation, or a new possession or a new church was never created by God to be a substitute for Him. People, places and things were never meant to be our gods.
Happy are those people, whose God is The Lord, for only He can fill the emptiness in your soul. Place your wandering desires before The Lord, beloved. Idolatry is coveting anything or anyone more than Him. A life of wandering desires is futile. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want is not a description of a life that is void of pain, sorrow, disappointment and grief. But it is a description of a life of a man after God’s own heart. How do you spell contentment? Jesus Christ. Selah.
